STORRS — Beginning with today's American Athletic Conference opener at Gampel Pavilion against Cincinnati and old friend Jamelle Elliott, the UConn women's basketball team has 98 days to prepare for the national semifinals to be played April 6 in Nashville, Tenn.
Even if all the doomsayers are correct and the Huskies' new conference provides minimal competition, coach Geno Auriemma figures his team will be just fine.
"I have had some fun with that question recently because it came up a lot in recruiting," Auriemma said. "What conference are you in? Who are you going to be playing against? What level of competition exists in your conference? All that stuff. We have 18 conference games. So that is 18 nights that we are going to be playing basketball ... There are a whole lot of other days besides those 18 days that we get a chance to improve."